A couple of years ago, Nintendo introduced itspaid subscription service called the Nintendo Switch Online. Similar to the service offered by its competitors, a subscription to Nintendo Switch Online gives players access to the console’s online multiplayer functionalities, cloud saves, special offers, and a library of free NES and Super NES games.
However, now that Nintendo Switch Online has been in existence for two years,some features offered by Nintendo’s competitorsare still missing in Switch Online. Of course, should Nintendo decide to add more features to the Switch Online service, players should expect the subscription fee to increase, given that both the PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass are far more expensive than Switch Online.
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Access to Iconic N64, GameBoy, and GameCube Games
As far as Game Boy and GameCube games Nintendo should bring on the Switch, the company could start with some of the most popular titles such asFinal Fantasy Tactics, Mario Kart Super Circuit,andFire Emblemfor Game Boy games. On the other hand, GameCube games should start with classic titles such asThe Legend of Zelda, Twilight Princess HD,Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, and even the firstAnimal Crossinggame. Of course, given the massive library of Game Boy and GameCube games available right now, it wouldn’t be practical to expect Nintendo to bring all of its back catalogs to the Switch. Instead, Nintendo could revive these games similar to how the Switch Online Service continues to update its library of NES and SNES games.
Monthly Access to Free Switch Games
Another feature that Nintendo could introduce in Switch Online is free monthly access to select Switch Games. Like PS Plus andXbox Live Gold, Nintendo could allow players to try out some of the Switch’s less-popular games, even if there some caveat like it being only for a month (since it is cheaper than the two aforementioned services) As previously mentioned, having Nintendo offer Switch games for free, even if it’s only for a month, could impact the service’s pricing nonetheless.
A More Functional Group Chat Feature
One important feature missing with the Switch online since its release is private chat rooms where players can group together as they embark on an online multiplayer session. On PlayStation and Xbox, players can create a private room and easily jump from one game to the next. Unfortunately, this functionality does not exist on the Nintendo Switch. Although some games likeFortniteandOverwatchallows players to chat in-game, the same cannot be said for first-party Nintendo games.
The companion smartphone app to the Nintendo Switch Onlinealso offers voice chat, but that would require players to use their smartphones to talk to one another. Given the importance of having a built-in voice chat in the console in multiplayer games, this feature should have been included from the beginning.
